This invention relates generally to plumbing conduits, but more specifically pertains to a trap of various designs, and which maintains a uniform dimension for its interior flow channel while allowing direct lineal access into the same during cleanout.
Various style of plumbing traps and the like have been available in the prior art, but most of these traps are designed particularly in the configuration of a P-trap, that is principally designed for furnishing a debris obstructing compartment with little or no concern for continuing flow during its use.
For example, in the British Pat. No. 20,746, issued to Platt, there is disclosed a form of trap wherein its individual upper tubes are connected together by means of syphon principally to act as a syphon-trap for drainage of other pipes. While such a trap might function reasonably well after installation, mainly in domestic installations, it contains its own inherent problems in that its upper pipes or tubes are generally structurally isolated from each other until the lower syphon provides for their interconnection. Furthermore, most of not all local standard plumbing codes would generally disallow authorization for use of such a trap due to the fact that it could not pass the variety of tests, such as the ball test, as frequently required in plumbing codes or regulations. Under such tests, a ball only slightly less than the interior diameter of the trap pipes must freely pass through both the inlet, its gooseneck, and the outlet pipe with no obstruction, and it can be seen due to the reduced diameter of the inserting ends of the pipe of the shown trap that obstruction to free passage of any such test ball would be encountered, either from gaining entrance into the trap or out of the same to the outlet tube.
Other forms of traps are also available in the prior art, such as the waste pipe trap to Pinder, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 1,198,759, wherein a removable lower trap portion is held by means of a bolt to the waste pipe of the sewer line.
Obviously the configuration of the trap as shown in its FIG. 2 is undesirable, due to the disposition of the fastening bolt directly in the flow path provided through the trap, but that in other configurations for this trap as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the wedging together of the trap portions creates an internal shoulder that reduces the continuous smooth interior surface formed in the flow path of said trap. Furthermore, in the event that an obstacle slightly less than the interior diameter of the flow path of the shown sewer pipe should become lodged in the same, and should this obstacle have any longitudinal length to it, it would be impossible to remove the same by means of opening the trap portion due to the inherent curvature of the upper pipe sections of the trap. Hence, to remove any larger debris from this particular trap, it would be necessary to open the couplings holding the entire U-shaped portion to the sewer pipes in order to remove any such obstruction, thereby making the benefits to be attained from the trap itself rather futile.
Various other styles of plumbing traps or drain traps are also available in the art, such as shown in the patents to Stambaugh, U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,101, and David, U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,734, wherein there are shown various styles of bowl shaped traps that may be mounted to the downward portions of the drain pipes for the purpose of collecting any debris entering into the sewer line. While the shown traps probably work well for their intended purposes, that is as debris traps, it is unlikely that they can function effectively as that form of a trap for allowing for continuous flow, and smooth passage, of the sewer contents directly through the trap, therein achieving the benefits of a gas trap, without causing the build up of any obstruction therein, such as is usually achieved in the semi-spherical bowl type of trap as shown in these prior art patents. For example, it would appear that the David trap is designed incorporating a semi-spherical body portion as its trap, as identified in the patent, which may have continuity of flow surfaces along the outer edge of the interior surface as shown in lengthwise cross section, in FIG. 3, but provides obstructing shoulders along its transverse dimensions due to the widening of the bowl along its width with respect to its incoming and outgoing sewer pipes. The same is true with respect to the drain trap shown in the Stambaugh patent. Hence, in either of these traps, it would appear that the standard ball test would meet failure due to the debris catching attributes of the semi-spherical body portions constructed into the traps, whereas the present invention is designed to obviate this particular feature in furnishing continuity of inner surface throughout the entire channel length of the trap and particularly where it joins with both the inlet and outlet segments of the associated sewer lines.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a pipe trap, whether it be of the P-trap type, or the various forms of S-trap types, wherein smooth flow features are provided within the interior channel of the trap for offering no obstruction to the continuous flow of any sewage or fluids therethrough, while yet presenting the attributes of a gas trap.
Another significant object of this invention is the provision of a separable pipe trap access fitting wherein the plane of separation between the fitting and its inlet and outlets is such that direct linear access may be made into the interior of these trap segments to provide for the removal of any large debris that may become lodged therein.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trap wherein the plane of separation between each inlet and outlet segments and the removable lower trap arcuate portion, or access fitting, is arranged between the inverted weir of the trap and that location therebelow where the fixed diameter of the trap commences to reduce in dimension such as normally prevents direct lineal access into its inlet and outlet segments for removal of any large obstructions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trap wherein its inlet and outlet segments are integrally connected together by means of a reinforcing web to therein provide a very rigid and sturdy upper trap member that finds enhanced utility particularly in industrial applications.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a trap wherein its lower arcuate portion or fitting incorporates a boss to which any type of sampling instrumentality may be affixed to provide an instant tap of any of the enclosed fluids for testing.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trap wherein its separable components may be joined together by means of a pair of flanges, but which flanges may yet be separated, even after they may become corrosively united as through prolonged usage of the trap for many years, by means of a connecting jack screw.
Yet another unique feature of this invention is to provide a trap that has an interior channel of fixed diameter throughout its extent for forming a continuous, and nonobstructive, smooth wall interior surface along the flow length of the entire trap.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a trap which due to its integral construction may be easily installed with a minimum of labor.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, in addition to a study of the description of the preferred embodiment in view of its drawings.